Tanglewood Festival of Lights – Christmas Light Show in Forsyth Co NC

Tanglewood Festival of Lights in Forsyth County NC ©Katrena

Want to see about one million individual holiday lights along a four mile stretch near Winston-Salem? Tanglewood Park in Forsyth County, NC offers a large winter light show, the Festival of Lights, that began in 1992 with 25 displays and has expanded to delight nearly 250,000 visitors each year with 180 light displays.

Large Drive-through Light Display Near Winston-Salem NC ©Katrena

What is the Tanglewood Festival of Lights?

The Tanglewood Festival of Lights offers visitors the opportunity to drive through the park and enjoy a nice variety of lighted scenes. Even the entrance is festive as the booths look like a huge castle and soldiers line the sides. Many of the wooded areas offer a great opportunity to drive through falling leaves, jumping reindeer, falling snow, or a lighted tunnel.

Large Christmas Light Show in North Carolina ©Katrena

Many of the lights herald the holidays of the season, such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanza. I particularly like the advent wreath and the manger scene. My kids love to wave back at Santa and Frosty. They also have several related to nursery rhymes and other popular children's stories. Riders can tune their radios to a station that plays Christmas music while enjoying the show.

Enjoy Colorful Light Show Near Winston-Salem NC ©Katrena

The light show also capitalizes on the park itself. The lake lends itself well to a water scene, and the water serves as a delightful mirror to the show. The equestrian history is evident with lighted horses, and a train locomotive is decked out for the holidays as well. One of the simplest displays has ranked near the top for us as we've seen this light show several times – a golfer swings and hits a golf ball that whizzes beside the road.

Hay rides are available for groups up to 25 for an extra fee. Groups up to four may opt for a horse drawn carriage ride through the Festival of Lights in Tanglewood. My family got a special opportunity to enjoy a Christmas party inside of Tanglewood along with a hay ride through the light show, and that is a special memory that I will cherish. Make sure to bring plenty of warm clothes, including gloves and hats, if the weather is cold or windy!

Christmas Light Show for Whole Family ©Katrena

The Tanglewood Holiday Gift village gives visitors the opportunity to get out, stretch their legs, and browse a wide variety of crafts and gifts. The gifts range from whimsical and small to ornate and large. I particularly remember seeing a manger scene designed inside part of an egg shell, beautiful paintings, nicely crafted wooden pieces, a nice variety of jewelry, and even a belly button cleaner.

A large bonfire beckons guests to purchase some marshmallows for roasting. Other concessions and bathroom facilities are also available at this single stop in the Festival of Lights. Live trees, wreaths, and garlands from Cullowhee will be available for purchase as well. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be available on certain nights during the week.

The light displays may be changed from year to year, and additions are typically made each year. LED lights are now being used for a brighter show.

See Lights of the Season at Tanglewood ©Katrena

When is the Tanglewood Festival of Lights show?

The Tanglewood Festival of Lights typically begins mid-November, running nightly from 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. until January 1. Weekends tend to be more crowded with higher rates. Some discounts may be offered early in the season.

Readers may wish to read about and see pictures from the 2012 Tanglewood light show. Visit the Tanglewood official web site for specific information about rates and contact information for reserving hay rides or carriage rides. Looking for more fun family activities in the Piedmont with tips and pictures? I've collected several favorites on my Events page.

McAdenville NC – See an Entire Town Decked Out in Christmas Lights!

McAdenville Christmas Lights © Katrena

McAdenville, a small town in Gaston County, illuminates nearly the entire town for others to enjoy through self-guided riding or walking tours in December. This beautiful light show, featuring over 375 trees adorned with more than 450,000 red, green, and white lights along a 2-mile stretch near exit 22 on I-85 offers visitors a free Christmas light show each evening from December 1 through December 26 each year. Visitors can enjoy the lights between 5:30 and 9:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and between 5:30 and 11:30 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

Christmas Town USA in Gaston County NC © Katrena

Free Christmas Light Show in McAdenville NC © Katrena

Wait times are generally longer on weekends, but this can be a fun time to listen to Christmas music on the radio and share Christmas memories. Those who wish to walk through town may park in one of three locations for free:

• Behind McAdenville Baptist Church
• Behind the Village Restaurant on Main Street
• Parking lot beside the lake

Christmas Lights in North Carolina © Katrena

Christmas Lights Near Charlotte NC © Katrena

We took exit #27 going south on I-85 and came in from that direction on a busy weekend night. In hindsight, I would have stayed in the left lane on US 29-74 and turned left at the Burger King and simply walked through the town from there.

McAdenville Christmas Lights at the Lake © Katrena

Enjoy Christmas Lights and Music in McAdenville

The McAdenville light tradition began in 1956 when nine trees were lit at the suggestion of the McAdenville Men's Club and the December Christmas light show has grown throughout the years. The McAdenville Christmas trees range from six to ninety feet with each tree displaying between 500 and 5,000 red, white, and green lights to celebrate the traditional colors of the Christmas season.

See Houses Decorated with Christmas Lights © Katrena

Free Christmas Activities in Gaston County NC © Katrena

Preparations for the annual Christmas light show in McAdenville begin in August, and each year the winner of the McAdenville Elementary School contest gets the honor of turning the switch to kick off the light show on December 1.

Christmas Town USA in North Carolina

In addition to the lights, visitors can also see over 200 wreaths, a manger scene, Santa and reindeer, Old Man Winter, life-sized carolers, and an illuminated fountain at the lake. Riders may wish to open windows to hear the recorded music at the caroler display. Christmas carols also ring from the Pharr Family YMCA and the McAdenville Baptist Church.

Christmas Hayride in McAdenville with Santa © Katrena

Town with Tons of Christmas Lights © Katrena

The town has decided to add a Christmas Town Festival with entertainment slated for the first three Saturdays in December starting in 2011. Town residents also add to the quaint Christmas light show by decorating their doors and porches, and the atmosphere is bright and festive as McAdenville transforms itself into Christmas Town USA for the first 26 days of December each year. We saw several hayrides going through with Santa entertaining the crowd in back.

McAdenville Christmas Light Show in North Carolina © Katrena

Fun Family Activities for Christmas Break © Katrena

I have enjoyed driving through McAdenville to see this wonderful free Christmas light display several times, and each time has been such a treat for the adults and kids. What is particularly nice about this display is that it represents a cumulative effort of an entire town. See more information about McAdenville or Christmas Town USA at their official web site.

Readers may wish to learn about other fun family-friendly events in North Carolina as well!